Nora Blakely is an 18 year old girl who has been born into a life of privilege and wealth – a life that she would sacrifice if she could just have happiness. She has spent her entire childhood being ridiculed by her Mother’s demands to become the epitome of perfection. And though she is beautiful and smart – nothing is ever good enough for her mother. She will never be “thin” enough. Never be “smart” enough. Never be enough, period. And then, there is Finn – Nora’s half-brother who is a constant source of angst and trouble in her life. One day – in front of hundreds of people, the pressure of working to be something that she’s not causes Nora to snap.
Losing it in front of people who matter – in front of her mother – frees something inside of Nora. She feels a bit lighter than she has before. So she adapts a theory that if doing one “bad thing” made her feel good, then completely rebelling against her mother and her mother’s every wish will end the misery that she has found herself in, and finally allow her to be happy.
Whatever was waiting for me, I could handle it. I simply needed to do the things on my list: get drunk, get high, and get laid. Get relief. End of story.
The first time Leo Tate sees Nora – he’s watching her lose it in front of his little brother’s school. At 25, Leo has had a life that’s not really all that fair. He is the full time guardian of his 17 year old brother since his parents were murdered, and he has given up his dreams to take care of Sebastian. Seeing Nora, he instantly has her pegged as a young, spoiled, rich brat who has had everything handed to her on a silver platter. However, despite her outside appearance, Leo is drawn to Nora in a way that he has never been drawn to anyone else.
Nora is so smitten with Leo that she begins to pursue him relentlessly. But Leo refuses to give in to the temptation of being with Nora. For one – she’s too young. Two – he’s the love ‘em and leave ‘em type. He doesn’t stick around. Three – she’s too “fragile” for Leo. But those reasons are just a front. Leo is scared to love. After losing his parents so tragically and suddenly – he doesn’t want to risk his heart again.
The majority of the story is spent with Nora pining after Leo and Leo denying his attraction to Nora. Leo sticks with his….. “friend” Tiffani because it’s just easier to be with someone you don’t have real feelings for. Nora learns the hard way that sometimes you have to move on from something – even if it’s what you think you want.
“It’s hard to give up something when it’s everything you want.”
After trying to exorcize her demons by attempting a list of “bad things” Nora begins to realize that maybe, just maybe – it’s not the bad things that make her happy. She begins to find her own way through life – jumping hurdles and facing obstacles head on. She begins to focus on the little things in life, and slowly – she becomes, dare she say it – happy…
“Happiness is simply collecting and remembering all the good moments in your life, kinda like beads on a necklace.”
I will say that there were some things about this book that were frustrating. Nora was, at times, very immature. I believe that had a lot to do with the world she had grown up in and the things that had happened to her. As she grew in the story, she became more likeable. In the end, I did like her. The other thing that bothered me was the lack of time we got to experience Leo and Nora as an actual “couple”. They went from fighting their attraction tooth and nail to “soul mates” rather quickly and we didn’t get to enjoy their relationship much before the book ended.
Overall, this was a great story of learning where to place value in your life. Of growing up despite your past. Rekindling the hope that was stomped out due to tragic circumstances and events. Finding happiness in the little moments that are sometimes so overshadowed by our need to experience BIG things.
4 Very Good Stars!
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